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Gear of the Year: The Tablets, Headphones and Rides That Ruled 2012

One of the coolest things about working at Wired is we get to use and review a ton of new gear. One of the worst things about working at Wired is we have to use and review a ton of new gear.

The law of averages demands that most of the stuff we get will be lame. For every Kindle Paperwhite, there's an uninspired Android smartphone, iPhone case with a bottle opener and a rushed-to-market Windows 8 tablet. Too much of the gadgets and gear that cross our desks are iterative improvements or blatant ripoffs and hardly worth our time. But they only make us appreciate the good stuff that much more.

Here, then, are the products that excited us, inspired us and made us love working here. Here is Wired's Gear of the Year.

Raspberry Pi

The Raspberry Pi was conceived as a entry-level device for kids to discover the joy of development, yet it has become the computer for everyone. The ARM GNU/Linux box is smaller than a pack of playing cards (or a well-cultivated set of Magic: The Gathering cards), yet prefect for hobbyists looking for a low-power computer for projects.

The $25 tiny computer runs Linux and connects to an HDTV. Would-be developers and do-it-yourselfers have embraced the computer as a fun, cheap platform that lets you experiment without destroying anything important you might have on your laptop.

Maker Bot Replicator 2

Maker Bot remains the go-to company for desktop 3-D printing. At something north of $2,000, the Replicator 2 remains beyond the reach of most people, but that hasn’t hampered the rise of a cottage industry in 3-D printing. Companies have started making 3-D files available so consumers can replace broken parts. Staples will offer in-store 3-D printing next year. The vanguard of this revolution is Maker Bot. The replicator can print paper-thin layers or produce a single 410-cubic-inch mass. It’s just the thing for recreating your favorite hard-to-find childhood toys.

Parrot Zik Headphones

These headphones didn't wow us with audiophile reproductions of our favorite Rush songs. The noise-canceling feature was ruined by a slight hiss. And the bass was a bit too muddy for our taste.

What these babies did do, however, is take a big step forward in headphone features. The Zik features an accelerometer that detects when you remove them and pauses the music. Built-in NFC makes Bluetooth pairing a snap. And adjusting the volume is as easy as swiping your finger up or down on the cans. These are the smart ‘phones our smartphones deserve.

Tesla Model S

We have driven the future, and its name is S.

While other automakers produce a token "green" car to appease their greener customers or California regulators, Tesla is unabashedly about the electrons. The Roadster was little more than a tarted-up Lotus Elise, but the Model S was designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle — and it is, without question, the best yet. It offers superlative comfort, stellar range and leading-edge tech in a drop-dead gorgeous package.

This is the car the Germans could and should build, but so far haven’t.

Retina Display MacBook Pro

It was only a matter of time before Apple crammed a Retina Display into a MacBook. It’s already stuffed the sweetest of displays into damn near everything short of the iPad mini, so it was only a matter of time before all those pixels were in an actual computer.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina will make you wonder how, and more importantly, why, you ever worked on your laptop that didn’t have 227 pixels per inch. Apple said the 15-incher was the future of the laptop, then came out with a 13-inch model. That sound you hear is other manufacturing scrambling to catch up. Again.

Microsoft Surface

Redmond tried, and failed, to create a tablet before. But a laptop that folds over on itself to approximate a tablet felt more like a gimmick than anything useful, and sold accordingly.

But with the iPad selling like mad, Microsoft had to respond. It not only jumped into the fray, but differentiated itself from the rectangular slabs that have saturated the market. Surface Pro (and to a less extent, Surface RT) are computers with the interface and case of a tablet. They’re fantastic. They’re also pricey ($900 for Surface Pro without a Touch Cover keyboard) but it's clear that Microsoft is innovating again and that it's ready to lead instead of follow.

Sony Alpha NEX 5R

Sony has long been at the forefront of mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras, which are finally coming into their own. There’s a lot to like about them, as they give users the option of interchangeable lens without the bulk and technical know-how needed for a full DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex).

The Alpha Alpha NEX 5R is the latest addition to Sony’s lineup. It uses the same 16.1MP APS-C size HD image sensor found in the Alpha line of DSLRs, shoots 1080p video and features Wi-Fi so you can share photos directly to your smartphone. You'll be able to add Instagram's filters to high-quality photos without transferring from a computer. And of course, the ability to attach a plethora of E-mount lens to the tiny camera.

Nexus 7

While everyone is going gaga over the iPad mini, the Nexus 7 remains the gadget that blew open the small-tablet field. Yes, the Kindle Fire was the first 7-inch tablet to make waves. But the Nexus 7 was the first full-featured Android tablet that excited everyone looking for a tablet that weighs less than a Harry Potter novel.

Launched in June at Google I/O, the Asus-built Nexus 7 was the first Android tablet to use Jelly Bean (Android 4.1). It was, and remains, everything a tablet should be: powerful, smartly styled and easy on the pocketbook. At only $200, it's still a go-to Android tablet.

Big Jam Box

It seems there are a zillion Bluetooth-connected speakers out there. It’s easy to forget the trend started with the Jawbone Jam Box. It’s nice to know that the company that used Bluetooth to create the dorkiest accessory ever also used it to create one of the coolest accessories ever, then made it bigger, louder and bassier.

The Big Jam Box, while admittedly just a Jam Box on steroids, larger, is still the best of the big Bluetooth-enabled speakers. With 12 hours of crisp music pumping magic on a single charge the only downside to the Big Jam Box is the price and deciding who's going to carry it to the BBQ in the park on Saturday.

Brammo Empulse R

Electric cars get all the love, but there’s just as much innovation in the electric motorcycle space. Sure, a bike like the Brammo Empulse doesn't have the roar of a gasoline-burning, CO2-emitting machine, but what it lacks in aural excitement it makes up for in maneuverability and torque.

The Brammo Empulse R doesn't have to deal with the rotational mass of an internal-combustion drivetrain or the moving weight of sloshing fuel. That makes it one of the sharpest-handling motorcycles we’ve ever ridden. It’s got a real-world range approaching 100 miles and a top speed north of three figures. The only problem with all this awesome is the the $19,000 price tag. But then, new technology is never cheap.